Snap-switch-operating mechanism.



No. 737,349'. PATBNTED AUG.25,1 9 03.

c. A.`GLAR,K. SNAP SWITGH OPERATING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION. FILED JULY 23. 1902.. BBNEWBD'-JULY 8, 1903.

lo MODEL.

riassume.

UNITE-D I STATES y Patented August 25, 1903.

CHARLES A. CLARK', or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

SNAP-SWITCH-OPRATING MEC'HANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters vPatent No. 737,349, dated August 25, 1903. Application filed July 2 3, `1902. Renewed July, 1903. Serial No. 164,'75'3. (No model.)

TQ @ZZ whom it may concern,.-v A 7 Be it known that I, CHARLES A. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing atvHartford, in the county of Hartfordi'anfd State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snap-Switch-Operatthat mesh with the gear and have detents ar-Y ranged to engage with and be disengaged from teeth of a circular ratchet secured to the base of the switch as the spindle is turned formaking the spring tense.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings shows a plan of a switch having this operating mechanism, with the handle and cover of the switch omitted. Fig. 2 shows aplan of the circular ratchet on the base of the switch. Fig. 3 shows on enlarged scale a view of the under side of the loose spindle-disk with the detents and pinions engaging the. spindlegear. Fig. 4 shows a view of the under side of the loose-spindle-disk with the detents engaging the fixed ratchet, and Fig. 5 shows anl elevation of the operating mechanism on the spindle with parts cut in section.

The base l of the switch is made any common shape, of insulating material, and is provided with stationary terminal contacts 42, as

In an opening in the centerof thev usual. base is a bushing with a circular ratchet 3, iiXed to its upper end. Supported by the brushing is the spindle 4, which has a handle 5 and a throwing-spring 6. The sleeve7 is loose on the spindle. One end of the throwing-spring is fastened to a collar on the spindle and the otherv end is fastened to the disk on the spindle. A gear 9 is attached to or formeda vpart of the spindle, and attached to or formed a part of the sleeve on the spindle is a disk 10. In a recess in the under side of the disk are two pinions l1. These pinions are held in position by a band 12, so as to mesh with the gear. -Fastened to or formed a part of each pinion is a detent 13. The rotary poles 14 are attached to the disk in a commonmanner. The sleeve and disk, with. the pinions, deteni s, and rotatory poles, are placed on the spindle, so that the spindle-gear meshes with the disk-pinions. Then the spindle is placed in the bushing in the base, so that the piniondetents engage with the teeth of the fixed circular ratchet. When the handle is turned, the spring is tightened, and the gear on the spindle turns the pinions and moves the detents out of engagement with thev ratchetteeth. The parts are so timed that the spring is made quite tense before the detents are released from the ratchet-teeth in order that the poles be thrown quickly, when the disengagement of the detents from the ratchetteeth is complete. The movementof the disk with relation to the spindle under the impulse of the spring as the poles are thrown causes the pinions to turn back the detents, so that they will engagethe neXt teeth of the ratchet' and hold the poles until the handle is again turned. The detents are moved positively into and out of engagement with the ratchet teeth by the gear and pinions, so that this mechanism is sure in action. The detents and the ratchet-teeth are strong, and the blow vincident to the stopping of the poles by the engagement of the detents with the ratchet-.

teeth is on each side of the spindle inline directly across the strong detents, so that there is little liabitity of the parts becoming broken 'or worn into an inoperative condition. These parts are cheap to make and easy to assemble.

I claim as my invention- 1. An electric snap-switch having a base with a fixed circular ratchet, a han dle-spindle with a fixed gear and a loose disk, said disk carrying pinions in mesh with the gear with detents fixed to the pinions and engaging the ratchet-teeth, anda spring with one end connected with the handle-'spindle and the other end connected with the disk, substantially as specied.l l f 2. An electric snap-switch having a base and the other end connected with the sleeve, substantially as specified.

CHARLES A. CLARK.

Witnesses H. R. WILLIAMS, V. R. I-IOLOOMB. 

